It’s no secret that I love to read. I post my monthly books on my blog, I have a healthy to-read list on Goodreads, and I would prefer books or an Amazon gift card to anything else. If given free time, I would go to a bookstore, grab a white chocolate mocha and wander around. Without kids! Sometimes, though, I will take them with me and let them pick out a book, too. On Valentine’s Day I took them as a treat and I was able to wander around a bit after they’d picked out their purchases. I found a table in the back with classics re-imagined and bought this awesome edition of Snow White.

How amazing does that look? I bought it without even opening it up – The cover alone was enough to get me to purchase. My sister-in-law enjoys things like that, too, so I immediately sent her a text of it and she asked if there were any others back there. There weren’t but I got on Amazon searching and saw that Camille Rose Garcia illustrated several others and I will be buying those as well.

My “office” is a combination office and library. Originally when my grandparents lived here it was just a library, filled with books and cookbooks, and photo albums. I don’t have near the amount of books that my grandmother did, but I have a pretty good collection going on. Since moving in here I completely regret selling all my books at previous garage sales. I wish I still had them all! If you’re a book addict like me, where do you keep your books?

This is one section of my library shelves. I also have a collection going in my bedside table and I got a new Kindle Paperwhite for Christmas. To say I love to read is quite the understatement!

Due to some unforeseen circumstances, the December Bookworm Box didn’t ship until just now. The January box should be on its way soon so there will be two reviews back to back pretty much. If you’re not familiar with The Bookworm Box, please visit their site and learn more. It is a monthly subscription box that sends you two autographed books and other book swag. All proceeds go to a different charity each month! The service was created by author Colleen Hoover who is one of my all-time favorite authors! Although the concept of The Bookworm Box is fantastic, I think she could send me a box of crap and I would still be ecstatic!

I didn’t get anywhere near my goal for 2015, but I ended the year with having read 44 books… Better than none, right?

Colleen Hoover has easily become one of my favorite authors. I absolutely LOVE her books! November 9 was no exception. I eagerly awaited the release date for this one and with a snafu on Amazon and me receiving it a few days late, I almost had a nervous breakdown. But it arrived and I read it in less than 24 hours. In the almost 2 months since it’s release, it’s already received over 20,000 ratings on Goodreads with an average rating of 4.54/5.. I myself gave it 5/5 because it is that good. Goodreads synopsis is: Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day before her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist.

I love to support local authors, and by local I don’t necessarily mean city-wide, but I mean Mississippi authors. Any chance I get to purchase and read a book, especially if they are there signing, then I will. My mother bought this for me and had it personalized, but he told her it was probably not going to be my type of book. He was right, it wasn’t, but that doesn’t mean I still didn’t like it. Soil was definitely different from anything I usually choose to read and it took me about 3 months of putting it down and picking it back up again to get finished with it. I rated it 3/5 stars and on Goodreads it has an average of 3.37 stars from 271 ratings, so it’s not quite popular yet. Perhaps one day it will be and I will have a personalized copy! Goodreads synopsis is: It all began with a simple dream. An ambitious young environmental scientist hoped to establish a sustainable farm on a small patch of river-bottom land nestled among the Mississippi hills. Jay Mize convinced his wife Sandy to move their six-year-old son away from town and to a rich and lush parcel where Jacob could run free and Jay could pursue the dream of a new and progressive agriculture for the twenty-first century. He did not know that within a year he’d be ruined, that flood and pestilence would invade his fledgling farm or that his wife and son would leave him to pick up the pieces by himself. When Jay Mize discovers a corpse on his property, he is sure his bad luck has come to a head and he is being framed. Were Jay in his right mind, he might have reported the body to the police at the very same moment they were searching for a missing tourist from Ohio. He might have not dragged the body back to his farm under the cover of night and spent hours disposing of it. But Jay Mize is not in his right mind. His mounting paranoia is accelerated by a hot-rod local deputy, nosing around with questions about the missing tourist and making dark comments about Jay’s estranged wife Sandy. It’s enough to make an honest man a maniac.

Wish List by Sylvia Day is a holiday themed novella, so it’s super short. I see a lot of reviews on Amazon about it being too short, but really, what does “novella” or “short story” mean? It definitely doesn’t mean long! When I chose this, I was really looking for just a short naughty story to read and that’s exactly what it is… Nothing more, nothing less. I rated it 3 stars on Goodreads and it has an average rating of 3.61. Goodreads synopsis is: When Nicolas James draws Stephanie Martin’s name in their law firm’s Secret Santa exchange he knows he’s in for a merry Christmas-if he can figure out what to give the woman he’s wanted for months. When he works late and finds a crumpled piece of paper listing Steph’s personal wish list, he knows he’s in luck. Because all Steph wants for Christmas is him, in a number of naughty ways.

Elin Hilderbrand is another one of my go-to authors. Her summer themed books about Nantucket are divine and I really want to travel there one day! Winter Stroll is the follow-up book to Winter Street, which I read last year. Both books in this series are good and I rated them 3/5. Goodreads has an average rating of 3.66 for Winter Stroll with a little over 3,000 ratings. Synopsis is: Another Christmas on Nantucket finds Winter Street Inn owner Kelley Quinn reflecting on the past year as he writes a holiday letter to friends and family. Though the year has had its share of misfortune and worry, the Quinns have much to celebrate. Kelley, now single, at least is on better terms with his first wife Margaret, who is using her celebrity to lure customers to the inn in record numbers. Their son Kevin has a beautiful new baby, Genevieve, with the Inn’s French housekeeper, Isabelle; and their daughter, Ava, is finally dating a nice guy–her devoted colleague, Scott. Now the Quinns are looking forward to celebrating Genevieve’s baptism, welcoming Isabelle to the family, and enjoying the cheer of Nantucket’s traditional Christmas Stroll. But just when a peaceful family gathering seems within reach, Kelley’s estranged second wife, Mitzi, shows up on the island after souring on her relationship with the inn’s former Santa Claus. Soon Kelley isn’t the only Quinn entertaining a surprise guest from Christmases past as lovers old and new gather beneath the mistletoe. With jealousy, passion, and eggnog consumption at an all-time high, it’s going to take a whole lot more than a Christmas miracle to get the Quinns–and the inn–through the holidays intact.

With Holiday Affair I was looking for a light, romantic read with a holiday theme. This fit the bill perfectly! While it wasn’t my favorite holiday book, I did give it 3/5 stars. Even though it was released in 2012, it only has around 840 ratings on Goodreads, so maybe it’s not very popular or the author isn’t as well-known. Goodreads synopsis is: Staid professor Lissy McIntyre believes that choosing a mate should be based on common sense, not runaway passion. And she would certainly never pick a rolling stone like Nick Richards for long-term love. But a red-hot, tropical romance? Oh, yeah. He’s got a body just made for sinning and his sizzling kisses leave her senseless. When Nick blows into town, he’s stunned to discover that his no-nonsense new neighbor and co-worker is the same sultry creature he seduced for one night of forbidden island pleasure. He’s unaccustomed to staying in one place for long, but he just can’t seem to keep his hands off the multi-faceted woman. Will Nick break loyal Lissy’s heart or will she be the one woman he simply can’t walk away from?

Seriously, I don’t know how she does it! Another 5 star CoHo book and I am hoping for a sequel. I read Maybe Someday in less than 24 hours because I just couldn’t stop – I had to finish it! With over 82,000 ratings, it’s rated 4.27 on Goodreads, which is great! Like I’ve said before, it’s hard to find books rated over 4 at all. Goodreads synopsis is: At twenty-two years old, Sydney is enjoying a great life: She’s in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her best friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers that Hunter is cheating on her—and she’s forced to decide what her next move should be. Soon, Sydney finds herself captivated by her mysterious and attractive neighbor, Ridge. She can’t take her eyes off him or stop listening to the passionate way he plays his guitar every evening out on his balcony. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either. They soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one.

Spring Shadows is book 3 in the Seasons of Love series by Jennifer Gracen. I read the first one a few months ago and really enjoyed it! Although it was published over a year ago, it only has 112 ratings on Goodreads, however, the average is 4.17. Goodreads synopsis is: Lydia wasn’t looking for love. Having just finalized a difficult divorce, she attended her best friend’s destination wedding with a simple plan: to reconnect with old friends and take a much needed break from the stresses of single parenthood. But life had more in store for her. In AUTUMN GETAWAY, Book One of the Seasons of Love series, Lydia connected with charming, sensitive Sam over that weekend, and took a chance on someone new. Then, in WINTER HOPES, Sam and Lydia explored the excitement of blossoming romance. Even though a long distance relationship isn’t easy, in each other they found renewed hope, both overcoming past losses to learn to trust and love again. Now, in SPRING SHADOWS, Book Three of the series, author Jennifer Gracen brings Lydia and Sam one step closer to lasting happiness. But it isn’t all romance and roses. The realities of a long distance relationship held between Chicago and New York start to take a toll. Add in the complications posed by Sam’s overprotective brother, Lydia’s difficult ex-husband, and an unexpected tragedy, and it all threatens to tear them apart before they’ve even begun to truly be together. Lydia and Sam must face their pasts and come to terms with old fears and insecurities. They need to focus on the things that really matter: true love, forgiveness, compassion, and fearless commitment–another leap of faith. Full of the sweetness and heartfelt emotion you’ve come to expect from the Seasons of Love series, SPRING SHADOWS shows us the power of purposeful communication, understanding, and unrelenting self-awareness, proving that true, lasting love is possible when nurtured by healing and hope.

Although I didn’t reach my 2015 reading goal, I am happy with the amount of books I read. I am looking forward to what 2016 will bring. I have already read 2 books so far and will be starting another this weekend!

What was your favorite book in 2015? Who is your go-to author? I’d love to hear!

Another month has gone by and not many books have been read. I guess I need to just throw that reading goal out the window this year. I have only read 37 out of my 60 projected books, so there is no way I will finish! I just bought two new books I hope to read this month but that will probably be all I have time for.

James Patterson is one of my all time favorite writers. I usually love all of his books! I needed something to listen to while I was at the gym, so I went scrolling through iBooks and bought Murder House. I rated it 4/5 stars and the Goodreads rating is 4.07 with over 5,000 ratings. I really enjoyed it and even brought my headphones inside to finish it once I was near the end. Goodreads synopsis is: It has an ocean-front view, a private beach–and a deadly secret that won t stay buried. Noah Walker isn’t superstitious. But there’s one beach house in Bridgehampton that has a troubling history of violence and mystery: when Noah was a kid, No. 7 South Ocean burned down in a devastating fire, killing the couple trapped inside. Investigators had no explanation for what happened, and many believe it was no accident. Rebuilt after the fire, the gorgeous, ocean-front property is still known by locals as The Murder House. Now, sixteen years later, a powerful Hollywood player and his mistress are found dead in The Murder House–and the police unearth proof that the couple is undeniably linked to Noah s past. To prove his innocence, Noah must uncover the house s dark secrets–and reveal his own.

Then I read Killing Monica… This is the last book I won through Goodreads giveaways and I couldn’t seem to pick it up due to the ratings. I have a feeling if you don’t read what you win then you won’t win anything else, so I decided to go ahead and read it. The beginning wasn’t that bad, but by then end I really just wanted to leave it somewhere and not finish it. I rated it a 2/5 but only because 2.5 isn’t a choice. It’s rated 2.59 on Goodreads with only around 1,700 ratings, so clearly it’s not one of Candace Bushnell’s more popular books considering it’s been out since June! Goodreads synopsis is: This is the book fans of Candace Bushnell have been waiting for. From the author of Sex and the City, Lipstick Jungle, and The Carrie Diaries comes an addictive story about fame, love, and foolishness that will keep readers enthralled to the very last enticing scene. Pandy “PJ” Wallis is a renowned writer whose novels about a young woman making her way in Manhattan have spawned a series of blockbuster films. After the success of the Monica books and movies, Pandy wants to attempt something different: a historical novel based on her ancestor Lady Wallis. But Pandy’s publishers and audience only want her to keep cranking out more Monica-as does her greedy husband, Jonny, who’s gone deeply in debt to finance his new restaurant in Las Vegas. When her marriage crumbles and the boathouse of her family home in Connecticut goes up in flames, Pandy suddenly realizes she has an opportunity to reinvent herself. But to do so, she will have to reconcile with her ex-best friend and former partner in crime, SondraBeth Schnowzer, who plays Monica on the big screen-and who may have her own reasons to derail Pandy’s startling change of plan. In KILLING MONICA, Candace Bushnell spoofs and skewers her way through pop culture, celebrity worship, fame, and the meaning of identity. With her trademark humor and style, this is Bushnell’s sharpest, funniest book to date.

I hope the next two books I read will be better or my reading slump will continue into 2016!

Thank you ALL so much for visiting my blog and entering my very first giveaway. I really had fun with this and hope you did too. Congratulations to the winner – SHELBY LEAH! Please email me your delivery info.

I hope those of you who entered and clicked around some found my blog interesting enough to stick around. I did notice a few new followers, so thank you! I will be doing another giveaway in the next few weeks when I blog about my lucky fix #13 from Stitch Fix. I hope you’ll enter that one as well! Until next time…

Have I told you lately that I have been in a reading slump? Well, I am… It’s a combination of lack of time and lack of interest and it sucks! At the rate I’m going I will never finish my 2015 reading challenge. I signed up to read 60 books and so far I am at 35 books. Blah!!! There is just no way I can finish this year which makes me sad. The last three years I have read over my goal and finished at 104%, 110%, and 142% so I would at least like to finish this year.

So for October I read ONE book… Just one. But it was FANTASTIC! I read Room by Emma Donoghue.

I bought this book at Target a while ago and thought it was about something completely different. I knew it was about a boy stuck in a room, but I thought it was because he had a compromised immune system and needed the stability of his own personal bubble. Within the first few pages I realized I was completely wrong, but it turned out to be a much more complicated and intriguing story. At first I found it hard to get past the story being told from the POV of a five-year-old… The language and terminology was annoying but I got over it really quickly when I put myself in his shoes and just escaped into the story. Room is rated 3.96 on Goodreads with over 380,000 ratings. Holy crap! Goodreads synopsis is: To five-year-old Jack, Room is the entire world. It is where he was born and grew up; it’s where he lives with his Ma as they learn and read and eat and sleep and play. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits. Room is home to Jack, but to Ma, it is the prison where Old Nick has held her captive for seven years. Through determination, ingenuity, and fierce motherly love, Ma has created a life for Jack. But she knows it’s not enough…not for her or for him. She devises a bold escape plan, one that relies on her young son’s bravery and a lot of luck. What she does not realize is just how unprepared she is for the plan to actually work. Told entirely in the language of the energetic, pragmatic five-year-old Jack, Room is a celebration of resilience and the limitless bond between parent and child, a brilliantly executed novel about what it means to journey from one world to another.

This book was tough to put down and I got through it in about 24 hours. I rarely rate a book 5 stars but this one should have gotten more. It’s also a movie starring Brie Larson, but it seems to have not been released at many theaters. I watched the trailer and just in that short amount of time there were already a LOT of differences, but I still would like to see it.

The October Bookworm Box is here! Due to Colleen Hoover being on an international book tour for November 9, there was not a September box. I missed not receiving one, but somehow missed my shipping notification and was pleasantly surprised to see this purple package in my mailbox!

Inside the box was 3 books instead of 2. There was a note saying that some boxes received 3 books so that we could help spread the word about The Bookworm Box and to give it to a library, friend, etc. The 2 books that are mine to keep are Pucked by Helena Hunt and One Night Promised by Jodi Ellen Malpas. Again, I haven’t heard of these books or authors so The Bookworm Box is a great exposure tool for newer authors or even established authors looking to reach a wider audience and grab new fans.

Pucked is rated 4.07 on Goodreads with over 11,000 ratings so even though I couldn’t care less about hockey, I am definitely willing to read this one given the awesome ratings! One Night Promised is rated 4.16 with over 15.000 ratings. It’s rare to have a rating over 3.5 these days, so I am excited about these two. That and they are both FIRST in a series and not somewhere in the middle!

The third book in my box is the one I am supposed to give away. I sent an email to the team at The Bookworm Box and asked if I could do a giveaway for the third book and my request was approved! The book is Just To Be With You by Bella Andre and is #12 in The Sullivans series. I know nothing about this series so I am not sure if they are all stand-alone or if you have to read them in order. Either way, it’s a signed copy, so it would look great on your bookshelf! I would love for you to have a chance to win this signed book courtesy of The Bookworm Box. Rafflecopter entry form is below and the giveaway will last one week. I will post the winner on the blog and send the book within 2-3 business days. While you’re here entering, feel free to look around and see if there is anything else that might pique your interest. All my other Bookworm Box posts can be found HERE.

Well, I thought August’s list was pretty sad, but this month I just have two books read. I haven’t had any spare time to read and with fall shows starting, I feel like I won’t ever have time to read in the next few months!

First I read Heart-Shaped Hack by Tracey Garvis Graves. I LOVE her books! She wrote On The Island which was amazing, so I knew to get this one as well. This is the start of a series and the next one, White Hot Hack, doesn’t even have a release date yet, so I can’t even look forward to it. It was really good and I have it 5/5 stars. Goodreads rating is 4.16 with 2,952 ratings. Synopsis is: When Kate Watts abandoned her law career to open a food pantry in Northeast Minneapolis, she never dreamed it would be this difficult. Facing the heartbreaking prospect of turning hungry people away, she is grateful for the anonymous donations that begin appearing at the end of each month. Determined to identify and thank her secret benefactor, she launches a plan and catches Ian —a charismatic hacker with a Robin Hood complex—in the act. Ian intrigues Kate in a way no man ever has. But after learning he’s snooped around on her personal computer, she demands retribution. Impressed with her tolerance and captivated by her spirit, he complies and begins to slowly charm his way past her defenses. Time spent with Ian is never boring, and Kate soon finds herself falling for the mysterious hacker. But Ian has enemies and they’re growing restless. In the hacking world, exploiting a target’s weakness is paramount, and no price is too high to stop an attack. And when Kate learns exactly how much Ian has paid, she’ll discover just how strong her love is for the man who has hacked his way into her heart.

Then I read Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige. I had heard about this book from the girl who cuts my boys’ hair and she said it was supposed to be really great. It was; I was not disappointed! It takes everything you thought you knew about Dorothy and the classic Wizard of Oz story and throws it out the window. I rated it 4 stars and it has an average rating of 3.85 with over 25,000 reviews. I am starting the sequel, The Wicked Will Rise now and there are a few novellas to read as well. Goodreads synopsis is: I didn’t ask for any of this. I didn’t ask to be some kind of hero. But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado – taking you with it – you have no choice but to go along, you know? Sure, I’ve read the books. I’ve seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little bluebirds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can’t be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There’s still a yellow brick road – but even that’s crumbling. What happened? Dorothy. They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe. My name is Amy Gumm – and I’m the other girl from Kansas. I’ve been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked. I’ve been trained to fight. And I have a mission.

August’s Bookworm Box shipped out a little late and just arrived yesterday. They aren’t doing a September box since Colleen is out of the country doing an international book tour. I had actually forgotten about this one and just happened to find it in my mailbox yesterday… SURPRISE!

My August box (everyone’s is different) has Fury by Fisher Amelie, and The Raven by Sylvain Reynard. The Raven is first in a new series, whereas Fury is number 3 in a series. I really dislike receiving books in the middle of a series, but I guess that’s the whole point of the box. The same Bookworm Box pen is included, but there is a new chapstick in there I haven’t received yet, several bookmarks, and a cell phone stand from Ana’s Attic.

I’m still really enjoying this subscription and especially the fact that the money is donated to a charity every month. I will definitely continue with this one!

Well, this month’s list is pretty puny. I blame it on school starting back and trying to get into a routine of homework, swim team, etc. A lot of new books have come out that I want to read so I hope to find time and September’s list be a lot longer!

First off I read Never Never, part one and part two. I LOVE Colleen Hoover, as I am sure I have mentioned more than once. Her books are fantastic and I have almost read all of them. This is a three-part novella series and the lead off book was fantastic! I was warned that it ended with a HUGE cliffhanger, so I waited until the second part came out to read it so I could read them together only to have the second one end with another HUGE cliffhanger. The third one doesn’t even have a release date yet so I am impatiently waiting! I rated both of them 4 stars and they are both rated over 4.0 on Goodreads with almost 15,000 votes so far. Part one synopsis is: Best friends since they could walk. In love since the age of fourteen. Complete strangers since this morning. He’ll do anything to remember. She’ll do anything to forget. Wait for the third one to release then read them all back to back. You won’t be disappointed!

Next I read Wallbanger by Alice Clayton. I have had this on my “to read” list forever and finally got around to it. I love some smut! I rated it a 3, but it’s rated over 4.0 with over 112,000 votes, so it’s pretty popular. It was just a bit predictable, but let’s face it… The majority of books are these days! Goodreads synopsis is: The first night after Caroline moves into her fantastic new San Francisco apartment, she realizes she’s gaining an intimate knowledge of her new neighbor’s nocturnal adventures. Thanks to paper-thin walls and the guy’s athletic prowess, she can hear not just his bed banging against the wall but the ecstatic response of what seems (as loud night after loud night goes by) like an endless parade of women. And since Caroline is currently on a self-imposed dating hiatus, and her neighbor is clearly lethally attractive to women, she finds her fantasies keep her awake even longer than the noise. So when the wallbanging threatens to literally bounce her out of bed, Caroline, clad in sexual frustration and a pink baby-doll nightie, confronts Simon Parker, her heard-but-never-seen neighbor. The tension between them is as thick as the walls are thin, and the results just as mixed. Suddenly, Caroline is finding she may have discovered a whole new definition of neighborly…

Last nigh I finished up Marie Kondo’s book on tidying. This is SO not my type of book and I almost NEVER read anything nonfiction, but I am beyond cluttered so I saw people mentioning this book and decided to give it a read. A lot of it is preposterous, such as speaking to your clothes, house, etc. as if they are alive, emptying your purse every day, and not balling up your socks because it hurts their feelings. BUT, I will say I did take away a lot from this book that is useful. I really want to declutter my house and I like her approach to throwing out anything that does not bring you joy. Even if it’s a gift from someone, something passed down, etc. you can’t hang on to things simply because. I won’t soil everything about this book because I plan to do posts based on how my tidying goes, but I will say head over to Goodreads and read some of the reviews. They are HILARIOUS!!! This one is probably my favorite:

There is no rating low enough to compensate for the way this book has ruined my life. Whatever you do, don’t read it as it will haunt you. This is a long review but it behooves you to stick with it. To begin, you have to touch each and every possession and ask yourself if it brings you joy. If it doesn’t, it needs to be discarded. Do you know how hard it is to summon joy for beige underwear or Neosporin? Yet summon you must. I like my carrot peeler but is joy too strong a word? It gets tougher. Not only must you “apply hands” to every piece of clothing while checking for your joy response, you must fold your clothes in very specific ways in order to find each piece’s “sweet spot”. I never knew that “Every piece of clothing has it’s own ‘sweet spot’ where it feels just right”. This will lead to an historical moment when “your mind and the piece of clothing connect.” Don’t forget to thank your clothes for protecting your body. Thank your accessories for making you beautiful. “Express your appreciation to every item that supported you during the day.” Never, never “ball up your socks” as they can’t get their much deserved rest that way. They need to breathe a sigh of relief. You must visit your off season clothes to “let them know you care and look forward to wearing them when they’re next in season. This kind of communication helps your clothes stay vibrant and keeps your relationship with them alive longer.” Everything must be stored standing up rather than laid flat. “Stacking weakens and exhausts the things that bear the weight of the pile. Just imagine how you would feel if you were forced to carry a heavy load for hours?” You must empty your hand bag every day.”Being packed all the time, even when not in use, must feel something like going to bed with a full stomach.” When you get a new phone, it is kind to text your old one with a message of thanks for its service. Every single thing must be in its assigned place before you go to bed.” Have you ever thought about what it would be like to have no fixed address?” It is equally important for our possessions to have “that assurance that there is a place for them to return to.” If we greet our house properly it will ” be happy to tell me what the family no longer needs and where to put the things remaining so that the family can be comfortable and happy in this space.” Not sure if you do this before or after applying hands and checking your joy response. It did come near the end of the book, if that helps. So what do the things that get discarded for not sparking joy feel? “I think they simply want to leave. Lying forgotten in the closet, they know better than anyone else that they are not bringing you joy.” The people who tidy as this book recommend experience a change in their appearance. “Their figures are more streamlined, their skin is more radiant, and their eyes shine brighter.” Unfortunately, my eyes are crossed, I’ve gained 10 pounds, and I feel hives ready to pop. I had no idea when I picked up this pretty little book that it was going to necessitate my search for a live-in psychiatrist. I had NO freaking idea that I was squashing the self-esteem of my possessions. I can NOT find those folding sweet spots and everything in my drawers is in a mosh pit. My hand bag looks sad every time I walk by its nightly fullness. My socks are falling down. I’m not sure why. I hate the word joy now. I’m sleep deprived. My possessions call out to me for help but I don’t know if they want me to summon joy or if they want to leave. The other day my husband heard me thanking my underwear for staying up all day. I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be married.

SO anyway, take what you will from that book, but there are definitely some great pieces of advice throughout. Let’s see how well it translates to my real life, though!